Trademarks + Brands by Corsearch

Today we celebrate World Intellectual Property Day by acknowledging the role that intellectual property rights play in encouraging innovation and creativity. This year’s theme is “Powering change: Women in innovation and creativity,” which "celebrates the brilliance, ingenuity, curiosity and courage of the women who are driving change in our world and shaping our common future."

At Corsearch, we're taking this opportunity to highlight how innovative, creative women bring their amazing ideas to power change not only at our company, but to the IP community as a whole, the world over. Let us introduce you to Corsearch team members; Ellen Stuer and Anna Arakelyan.

New York City's Museum of Modern Art — widely known as MoMA — is suing a recently opened New York City café called "MoMaCha" for trademark infringement. The lawsuit follows a cease-and-desist letter sent to the café in late March before it opened. Check out the two logos:

In court documents, Reuters reports, the Museum of Modern Art claims "there is no possibility that they were not aware of MoMA or its famous MOMA mark prior to starting their business earlier this month.” The lawsuit goes on to claim MoMaCha is “blatantly attempting to take advantage of the MOMA Marks, which are unquestionably famous within the modern and contemporary art space, to promote their newly launched art gallery and café business…"

Sony Pictures Television (SPT) has filed a lawsuit against California-based Knee Deep Brewing Company over the name of one of its IPAs — Breaking Bud. The lawsuit claims trademark infringement, false designation of origin, trademark dilution, and unfair competition, calling Knee Deep's beer an "obvious effort to trade on the fame and recognition of the BREAKING BAD Marks and associate itself with the tremendous success of SPT’s famous television show. …"

Have you ever had an In-N-Out burger outside of the United States? Most likely not, since the California-based burger chain doesn't operate any restaurants beyond five Western US states.

But, if you've been around Sydney, Australia lately, you may have noticed a burger restaurant called "Down N’ Out" that In-N-Out Burgers claims is infringing on its trademark and misleading customers into believing it has given the chain its "endorsement, approval, license, authority or sponsorship," because of similarities in its name and logo, Fox News reports. The Down N' Out website features the phrase "American style burgers, done right."

Although In-N-Out claims it enjoys “substantial reputation and goodwill” in Australia, Hashtag argues that since In-N-Out doesn't operate in Australia it "therefore has no goodwill" in the country. Hashtag also points out that its own menu offers a wider variety of items, like chicken burgers and jalapeño poppers.

Glasgow-based Clydesdale Bank won a legal fight against a Chinese cybersquatter who attempted to extort nearly £100,000 from it by purchasing a domain name the bank wanted.